


Never have I ever

by tillyenna



Series: 15-16 Draft GC [20]
Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Crack, Drinking Games, Found Family, Hickeys, M/M, No Fourth Wall, Party, Recreational drug usage, Team as Family, chirping as love, hockey players are dumb, hockey players are dumb but we love them anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:33:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26843686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tillyenna/pseuds/tillyenna
Summary: Oh God....It's here.The long awaited party.
Relationships: Alex DeBrincat/Dylan Strome, Carter Hart/Cale Makar, Frederik Andersen/Auston Matthews, Leon Draisaitl/Connor McDavid, Mentions of Matthew Tkachuk/Everyone, Sidney Crosby/Nathan MacKinnon, Travis Konecny/Nolan Patrick
Series: 15-16 Draft GC [20]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1776370
Comments: 56
Kudos: 147





	Never have I ever

**Author's Note:**

> Mel said Gabe wasn't allowed to come. He had to stay home with his actual baby. :shrug: everyone else is here
> 
> Bits in brackets are instructions that I just couldn't be bothered with writing
> 
> Not beta'd, all errors are my own. ENJOY

When Tyson rang the doorbell, it only took a few seconds before the door was flung open and he had an armful of Josty.

“TYS,” Josty yelled in his ear, “I AM SO GLAD YOU CAME.”

“Enough with the shouting Junior,” Tyson rolled his eyes, “And I said I’d be here, gotta help with operation salad yeah?”

“Come on,” Josty dragged him inside, “Come say hi to the guys.”

Tyson let Josty lead him through to the main room, where a bunch of hockey players were sprawled either in chairs or on the floor.

“Most people you know,” Josty said, gesturing to where Nate and EJ were sat next to each other, Sammy perched on EJ’s lap, “Make yourself at home, I’ll grab you a beer.”

Tyson slipped in to sit beside Nate, leaning against his friends arm in a half hug, “I’ve missed you.” He admitted openly.

“Babe, sames.” Nate wrapped his arm around Tyson’s shoulder. 

“Hang on,” Tyson looked across the room, “I didn’t realise this was also a leafs party.”

“Hi!” Mitchy grinned at him, “Missed you too, but I notice you love your Avs boys more than us.”

“Leave him alone.” Freddie grumbled, “Brutes is allowed to miss his Avs boys more than us.”

Tyson cocks his head to one side, “How do you guys even know Josty?”

“Group chat,” Auston answers, “Like, we have a queer hockey players group chat.”

“You do?” Tyson grinned, “Can I be in it?”

“Uh,” Auston glanced over to Dylan Strome, “I mean, it’s Stromer’s chat.”

“Sure thing,” Stromer answered, “Like, if you identify as queer you can be in our chat.”

“I’ve told you,” Josty walked back into the room, handing over an ice cold beer, “Comphy is the only straight boy in the room.”

“I’m so lonely,” JT grinned, utterly belying what he was saying, “Now when is the guest of honor getting here?”

“I told him an hour later than everyone else, so we could get stuff set up.” Josty replied.

“Operation Salad Time!” Tyson grinned, before Carter Hart caught his eye, “You ready for this?”

Carter shook his head, “Nope.”

“He’s shitting himself.” Travis Konecny piped up.

“No lies,” Nolan Patrick added in a mumble, “He’s been freaking out since he got here.”

“The kid is nuts over you,” Tyson reassured him, “You’ll be fine.”

“As long as we can persuade him to stay,” Carter sighed, “And as long as he’ll listen to me.”

“We’ve talked about this Hartsy.” Josty nudged him softly, “It’s gonna be fine.”

  
  


Cale drove up to Josty’s cottage, noting all the cars outside, figuring he must be in the right place.

He knocked on the door, and had a moment of surprise, when Tyson Barrie opened the door with Josty.

“Hi Tysons.”

“Cale,” Barrie grinned, “We have a special task for you.”

“Ok?” He said nervously.

“Put this blindfold on,” Josty held out a blindfold.

“Yeah no.” Cale snorted, “Not happening.”

“Cale,” Tyson Barrie said gently, “I promise you this is important.”

Cale hesitates, because on one hand, he doesn’t trust Josty as far as he can check him, but on the other hand, this is Tyson Barrie, and even if it is a prank, he feels he owes him one. “Fine.” He holds his hand out for the blindfold, and resignedly ties it round his eyes.

“Come with us.” Josty steers him inside the house, the stairs present a little bit of an issue, but with one Tyson behind him and one Tyson in front of him they manage it.

Everything seems to be going fine, until he’s roughly shoved into what he thinks is a closet, and he hears the click of the lock behind him.

“The fuck Josty?” Cale is used to EJ playing pranks on him, he didn’t expect it from Tyson, especially not when he’d had Barrie with him. He banged on the door of the closet, “Let me the fuck out.”

“No.” Josty’s voice was muffled through the closet door. “And trust me, don’t take the blindfold off.”

“You’ve locked me in a closet on my own, why am I not taking the blindfold off.”

“Not on your own.” There was a voice behind him, from the sound of it, probably at the back of the closet. Cale recognised the voice, but he can’t quite place it.

“I got fed up of the pair of you.” Josty carried on, “So eight… meet seventy-nine, or whatever stupid names you’re using for each other today. You’re perfect for each other. Stop being weird.”

There’s silence, and Cale could hear the sound of muffled footsteps as Josty walks away, he thumped on the door a couple of times, but he knows it’s futile.

“Hey,” came the voice from behind him, “It’s ok. He can’t leave us here forever.”

Cale turned towards the voice, even though he was now stubbornly keeping the blindfold on.

“Eight,” came the voice, softly, “You still there?”

“Yep.” Cale could feel his heart in his throat, he’d been talking to 79 for weeks now, but the idea that he was there in person, terrified him.

“Where are you?”

Suddenly there was a hand on Cale’s chest.

“Oh,” The hand disappeared immediately, “There you are. Sorry, didn’t mean to grope you.”

Cale was almost sure he recognised the voice, but he didn’t want to think about it, didn't want to hope. There was silence for a moment, and then he felt a hand take his, fingers lacing them together.

“Hey,” said the soft voice beside him, and he felt a soft pressure as his hand was gently squeezed.

Cale couldn’t help himself, he squeezed back. “Hey.” He didn’t know why he was so tongue tied, 79 has literally been the easiest person in the world to talk to. “You also blindfolded?”

79 laughed, “Yep,” he moved so they were stood shoulder to shoulder, leant against the closed door. “I should know better than to trust Josty by now.”

“I mean….” Cale squeezed his hand again, “He did introduce us so I can’t be so mad at him.”

“True.” 79 leant closer, so he was leaning against Cale’s shoulder. “Like, I know we haven’t known each other long, and we only ever talk online, but you really matter to me eight.”

Cale grinned, even though he knew it couldn’t be seen. “Ditto.” He says, his voice barely above a whisper, “Like, I like you.”

There was a nudge against his shoulder. “Like me like me?” 79 asked him.

“Uh huh,” Cale was blushing, he knew he was, and for once he was grateful they were both blindfolded, grateful no-one could see how he looked. “I don’t even know what you look like, but I’m really into you.”

“I think you do,” 79 said softly, squeezing his hand gently. “I think you do know what I look like.”

Cale was glad for the darkness and the blindfolds, glad that his incandescent blush wasn’t visible in the dark.

“We could…” 79 suggested softly, “Take the blindfolds off.”

“I’m scared,” Cale admitted hurriedly, squeezing tight onto the other man’s hand so he couldn’t reach up and untie his blindfold.

“What’s there to be scared of?” 79 asked him.

“Everything’s so perfect with us the way things are,” Cale whispered, “I don’t want anything to change.”

He felt movement beside him, and then, could feel 79’s breath against his cheek, his forehead pressing into Cale’s temple. “Nothing will change eight.” He promised, low and sincere, “It’s just you and me in here.” He untangled his fingers from Cale’s, and reached up to Cale’s blindfold, “I’ll do yours, you do mine.”

Cale reached up to untie the other blindfold, but as his own blindfold fell away from his eyes, he kept them steadfastly shut.

The hand on his face was soft and warm, and big, above all else big.

“Hey, baby,” 79’s voice was there, calm as anything, “You gonna open your eyes for me.”

Cale shook his head, he can’t, he won’t.

“Eight,” the hand moved, thumb stroking softly across his cheekbone, “Open your eyes.”

Again he shook his head.

And then, infinitely softer than before, but no less audible, “Cale…”

Cale opened his eyes, blinking in the dim light, looking into Carter’s soft brown eyes, “Hi,” he blushed.

“Hi,” Carter grinned at him.

For a moment they stood there, staring stupidly at each other before Cale buried his face in his hands, “This is exactly why I didn’t want to meet you,” he moaned.

“I’m still me,” Carter reached out to pull Cale into his arms, “We’re still us, you just get to also see my face now.”

“No you’re not,” Cale pouted, “You’re Carter Freakin Hart now and I can’t even look at you without my brain shutting off.”

Carter let out a little chuckle, lifting a hand to guide Cale’s head down to his shoulder, “Still me eight, I promise you.” He took a breath, “Wanna hear about the cute 1988 fic I read on the way here?”

Cale smiled against his shoulder, “Yep.”

“It was beyond sickening, but I loved it. Ugh,” Carter started to grin, “They had babies, and Toews was looking after their babies while Kaner did an interview.”

“Do you read 1988 before blackhawks’ games?” Cale couldn’t help himself but ask.

“Only if I’m not starting,” Carter reached up to thread a hand through Cale’s unruly hair, “Because otherwise I get distracted trying to catch their adorable moments on the bench.”

“Do they?” Cale looked up at him, “Like, are they for real?”

“I don’t know,” Carter confessed, “I’m not sure if I’m seeing things because I ship them so hard.”

Cale grinned at him, before asking with a blush, “Are we 879 or 798?”

The answering beam on Carter’s face relaxed Cale more than anything else, “798 has more of a ring to it.”

“Awesome.” Cale breathed softly, bringing up a hand to touch Carter’s face. “Can I….” he trailed off, not sure he could finish the sentence

“Anything you want eight,” Carter whispered, pressing their foreheads together, “You know I’m all yours yeah?”

Cale couldn’t stop the little hiccough of delight at that, and he was smiling when he pressed his lips against Carters, wrapping his arms around the goalie’s neck to draw him closer.

There was a knock on the door, and Josty’s voice called out “You boys worked your shit out?”

Carter grinned and put his finger against Cale’s lips, “If by worked our shit out you mean we’re still sat here with blindfolds on…” he started.

“Oh for fucks sake.” Josty snapped, and they heard the sound of him walking away down the corridor.

Cale giggled a little, “I can’t believe you.”

Carter shrugged, slipping his arms back around Cale’s waist, “I mean, if we’d have said yes, he’d have burst through the door, and I thought we could use a little more time.”

Cale just hummed happily, letting Carter draw him into another kiss.

For a few moments, they stood there, trading soft, tentative kisses, before Cale rested his head against Carter’s shoulder a second time. “Did you…” he started, before frowning, not sure how to ask his question, “Did you think I might be me?”

“Cale, sweetheart,” Carter muttered softly, brushing a soft thumb across Cale’s cheekbone, “I’ve known it was you for a while.”

“Oh.” Cale blushed, staring down at the floor, “Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Carter cupped a hand under his chin, tilting his face up for a kiss “I’m very happy that it’s you, Cale I…”

“Can you…” Cale interrupted with a wince, and then stopped himself. Then, at Carter’s raised eyebrow, tried again, “Not call me that?”

“Not call you Cale?”

Cale shook his head, “It’s harder to remember that it’s you, like, seventy-nine you and not, y’know,” he gestured down at Carter, “The whole fucking Carter Hart package that I really can’t deal with right now.”

“Ok baby,” Carter acquiesced easily, “Ok Eight.”

The nickname made Cale beam up at him delightedly, before stretching up to steal a kiss. “Did Josty know you knew?”

“Eight, gorgeous,” Carter muttered with a soft shake of his head, “Josty and I organised this whole party just to get you here to meet me.”

“Oh,” Cale bit his lip, “Does everyone know?”

Carter winced, “Fraid so,” he reached out, taking Cale’s hand in his, “But eight baby, I’m going to be right beside you the whole time, and if they tease us, it’s only out of love, because they’re all one hundred percent behind us getting together.”

Cale wrinkled his nose, “I’m not sure EJ is,”

“Yeah, I don’t know if your teammates know,” Carter added, before pressing a finger to Cale’s lips, hearing Tyson coming back down the corridor.

“Progress?” He asked through the door.

“Honestly?” Cale grinned up at Carter, “I like the blindfolds Tys, we might just keep them on.”

Carter grinned back, before drawing him into another kiss, pressing him against the wall, both of them so focused on each other that they didn’t notice Tyson swearing in frustration and unlocking the door.

“Oh really,” Tyson stood there, hands on hips, staring at the pair of them.

“Fuck,” Cale glanced up guiltily over Carter’s shoulder, “I mean… thank you Tys lovely wonderful Tys for introducing me to my boyfriend.”

“Now please fuck off and leave us alone?” Carter finished for him with a wolfish grin over his shoulder.

“Yeah no,” Tyson reached out and pulled Cale away from Carter, “EJ will fine the fuck out of me if you defile Cale in my house.”

“Tyson!” Cale smacked him on the arm.

“I’d never,” Carter said with a smug grin, reaching over to press a kiss to Cale’s flaming red cheek.

“Come on,” Tyson rolled his eyes, “Come join everyone else, we’ve been starting the party without you.” He let his eyes flicker over the pair of them, “Although apparently you had your own little party going.”

“Right beside you,” Carter whispered, taking Cale’s hand in his.

When they entered the main room of the cottage, everyone sat there started cheering. Cale couldn’t stop his face from flushing bright red.

Carter on the other hand, gave a little bow, showing off their joined hands.

Travis Konecny gave an obnoxious wolf whistle, “Hartsy got his maaaaan,” he crowed.

“What the hell?” EJ turned to stare, “What is this Juice?”

Cale just blushed, “Um,” he looked down at his hand where it was holding Carters, “It’s, sort of… this?”

EJ frowned, “What about your internet boy?”

Cale started to think about how to answer that question, when Carter laughed beside him.

“His internet goalie boyfriend, who wears the number seventy-nine yeah?”

“Oh,” EJ frowned, “Yeah, I didn’t put that together.”

“Wait!” Sammy sat up, “Carter Hart is the internet boyfriend?”

“Holy fuck!” Nate cried out.

“Oh babes,” Carter said squeezing Cale’s hand, “I’m sorry, I had thought you were being exceptionally naive, but it turns out it’s a team trait.”

“Did you know?” Nate asked Carter

Carter shrugged, “I mean, yeah? It wasn’t exactly a great mystery.” He turned to smile fondly at Cale, “I’m very good with this fact.” He sat down, pulling Cale down beside him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

“Kiss him,” Teeks crowed, “You’re so obsessed with him.”

Carter grinned, and pressed a sweet kiss to Cale’s cheek to whoops and cheers from all around them.

  
  


[the boys start playing ‘never have i ever’ because why the fuck not. For those of you unfamiliar with the game, someone states something they have never done, and if you HAVE done the thing, you drink. (If you state a thing that no-one has done, you then have to drink, but that doesn't happen here) usually a game targeted at getting your mates most embarrassing secrets out in the open]

  
  


"I'll start," Comphy offered with a smirked, "Never have I ever sucked a dick."

There were groans from all around the room as most of them lifted their bottles to their lips. 

"Not ever?" Mitch stared at him in amazement, "Like not even back in juniors?" 

JT stated straight back, "Literally never" he clarified. 

Cale stared down at his bottle picking nervously at the label, wondering if Carter had noticed him not drinking when everyone else did. 

"It's OK," Carter clearly picked up on his nervousness, wrapping his arm around Cale's shoulders and pulling him into his side. "Like, I kind of already knew."

Cale’s eyes widened, “You knew?” He squeaked, before turning to Josty, “You told him?”

Josty offered up an apologetic shrug, “I’m really terrible at keeping secrets, and I was so focused on not telling you who he was.”

Cale flushed dark red, “I hate you so much.” 

“It’s cute,” Carter muttered in his ear, “Like, I like it.”

Cale pouted, but leant closer into Carter regardless.

\---

“I could sit on your lap,” Travis grinned at Nolan, his eyes glancing over to where Alex had his arm snaked around Dylan’s waist.

“Hard no.” Patty snorted, “Like, the most no ever.”

“It’s not like we’re a secret here.”

“PDA’s are gross.” Nolan pointed out.

“You should do something.” Travis glared at him, “Like, show everyone how much I’m your favourite.”

“You’re totally not my favourite.” Nolan grinned at him, wide and full of teeth like a shark, “I barely even like you Teeks.”

“Ugh,” Travis rolled his eyes, “I’m going to steal Hartsy’s boyfriend,” he let his eyes flicker over Nolan’s face, “He’s blushier and prettier than you.”

“Go ahead.” Nolan smirked, “I could pick literally anyone in this room and it would be a step up from you,” he stared deep into Travis’ eyes, “You’re disgusting.”

“Um,” Mitch piped up from across the room, “Please don’t break up in the middle of this party.”

“Dude,” Carter laughed, “They’re fine.” At the astonished looks from everyone else he just shrugged, “This is like, them flirting I think.”

“I don’t flirt with Teeks.” Nolan pointed out, “Why would I even do that?”

“Dunno bud,” Travis grinned at him, “You’re pretty fucking easy for me when it counts.”  
“Convenience.” Nolan snarked back.

“Admit it,” Travis laughed, “You think I’m hot.”

“I think you’re a pain in my ass,” Nolan replied, before leaning down to bite Travis’ earlobes.

“They’re fucking weird.” Mitch stared, eyes wide.

“I think it’s cute.” Chucky pointed out, “Like, it’s like chirp flirting.”

“Flirping.” Teeks said suddenly, pulling away from Nolan, “It’s FLIRPING!”

“We are not calling it Flirping.” Nolan glared at him.

“Hundo bud, FLIRPING.” Travis stuck his tongue out at him, “We Flirp.”

“I fucking hate you.”

\---

"You know what," Tyson Barrie sat back with an amused smirk on his face, "I'm going for this one because I'm fucking curious." He glanced briefly around the room before announcing "Never have I ever slept with Matthew Tkachuk." 

Chucky snorted with laughter watching around the room as various people lifted bottles to their lips. 

"Stromer!" Mikey squeaked, around the mouth of his bottle "You've been dating Binks since the dawn of time, like when did you manage to sleep with Chucky?" 

It was Alex who answered however, lifting his own bottle to his lips, "Bout the same time I did." he laughed. 

"That was your bubble threesome?" Mikey stares wide eyed. 

"Eh," Chucky grins, "They're my Blackhawks hookup."

"I'm more pissed that Patty drank!" Travis mutters. 

"Babe," Nolan rolls his eyes, "It was before you and I were ever a thing."

"Is no-one going to bring up Hartsy drinking!" Dylan points out, "Because both he and Howdy were news to me," he glances briefly at Brett, "I'm less surprised about you though." 

"I feel it would have been easier to ask who didn't sleep with Chucky." Josty mutters darkly. 

"Jealous?" Chucky leers across the room at him, "because we can totally fix that by the end if this week."

"So that's, Mitch, Aus, Stromer, Brinks, Howdy, Hartsy, and Mcleod," Tyson shook his head in disbelief, "Anything you've got to say for yourself Tkachuk?" 

Chucky gave a little shrug, "I guess maybe that we shouldn't play this game anymore." He said, before adding cryptically, "Because there's at least one person in this room who isn't playing properly."

The screams that erupted were deafening. "Who the fuck else?" Mitch demanded, "Because like, that's pretty much everyone you could have slept with."

Chucky shrugged, putting on a fake air of being hurt, "I mean, clearly they're ashamed of me… I'd hate to upset them further."

"You’re such a little shit" Leon snarled, "You'd happily upset anyone and you know it."

"Stop being jealou Drai, you're just upset it isn't you." Matty smirked at him. 

"Is it one of the Avs," Auston asked, "Like who even is your Avs hook-up?" 

"I can confirm that my Avs hook-up isn't at this party," Matty laughed, clearly revelling in all the attention. 

"So not an Av," Josty frowned, "That leans Drat, Freddie, Connor and Teeks who didn't drink, and you've just said it wasn't Drat."

"Oh for fucks sake." Connor snapped standing up, his jaw twitching with rage, "We've already established that I made some really fucking poor decisions in the 17/18 season and you" he points at Matty, "Swore you'd never tell."

He stormed out of the room to silence, Leon following him but not before shooting a dark look at Chucky. 

"I mean technically," Matty admits, "I didn't tell…"

"You are a bit of a shit though," Dylan points out fondly. "Like, he hadn't even told me!" 

"Really?" Matty laughs, "Like, which do we think he was more embarrassed about, me or your brother?" 

  
  
  


"I told you we shouldn't have come," Leon wrapped his arms around Connors waist, pulling him in for a hug. 

"I know."

"I don't even know why you're still friends with him." Leon doesn't have to say who he means, it's pretty clear. 

"Because he can be a really nice guy," Connor sighed, "And sometimes he needs the group chat support more than anyone." he looks up at Leon, "You know what his dad's like."

"That's no excuse to be such an ass," Leon frowned, "And holding a one night stand over your head years later is being an ass."

"I mean," Connor blushed a little, burying his face into Leon's shoulder so he didn't have to look him in the eye, "It wasn't exactly just once."

Leon rolled his eyes, pressing a kiss to the side of Connors head, "It means nothing," he said, "You're mine now."

Connor took a deep breath, "Shall we go and face the music?" 

Leon frowned at the idiom, "You mean go back?" 

"Yeah," Connor laced their fingers together, tugging him back through to the room where everyone else was sat. 

"Fuck," Alex was the first to speak when they go back, "Was that the first you'd heard of it?" he asked Leon, suddenly concerned. 

Chucky snorted with laughter, "No," he answered for them, "Why the fuck do you think Drat hates me so much."

"Really?" Dylan asked. 

Leon simply offered a sulky shrug. 

"He's mad I'm the best Connors ever had," Matty smirked up at him

"Fuck you Chucky." Connor sighed, sitting back down beside Dylan and pulling Leon to sit beside him. 

"I notice he didn't deny that," Mitch whispered 

"Not dignifying him with a response isn't the same as not denying it." Connor replied with a sigh. 

"I have a question," Hartsy grinned, "For Patty, since we're airing peoples sexual histories."

Nolan eyed him suspiciously, "Ask then."

"Did you ever sleep with Hisch?" 

Cale smacked his boyfriend in the arm, "Nooo," he said in alarm, "Nolan teeks, not Nolan Nico… Every single time."

Hartsy grinned, kissing Cale on the temple, "I'm just curious cutie, I'm not saying I ship it."

"I mean yeah," Nolan offered up with a shrug, "we hooked up on the reg for a bit."

"But Hisch is straight!" Mikey squawked in amazement. 

"Sadly, he really isn't." Teeks sighed.

"Hisch is like the most queer," Patty laughed, "Like how could you ever think he was straight."

"I don't know," Mikey shrugged, "I guess I just thought he was European."

All of the Europeans in the room stared at him in utter confusion. 

"You don't seem pleased Teeks." Mitch points out.

"Ugh, Nol fucking Chucky is like whatever, because let's face it, Nol clearly has a rat fetish, but Nico," he glared at his boyfriend, "He's all perfect and beautiful and I don't understand why youd pick someone like me over someone like him."

"Teeks," Nolan poked him in the ribs, "We have had this discussion a million times, yeah Hisch is beautiful and intelligent and stuff, but like, I'm trash, and I belong in a dumpster and I want some cute trash rat to come and live in my dumpster with me."

"And that's me," Teeks grinned at him, leaning over to rest his head on Pattys shoulder. 

"Think we should fuck in a trash pile just to say we've done it?" Nolan asks him with a smirk

“Fuck yeah,” Travis laughed, “Let’s do it.”

“We could live in a dumpster,” Nolan added thoughtfully 

"I feel like, as pro hockey players we should have multiple dumpsters made into like a trash mansion." Teeks paused before adding "Transhion" 

"Exactly," Nolan leant over and licked Travis' face, "You and me belong together."

"I second that," Auston stares at them in amazement, "You're both fucking weird."

"Nico wouldn't have let you lick him, would he?" Travis smirked proudly, leaning his head against Patty’s shoulder.

\---

“Never have I ever…” Josty paused to think, “Slept with anyone in this room.”

“Do I have to drink for every one?” Chucky laughed, “Because I am going to get wasted.”

There was laughter all round, as a lot of people lifted their drinks to their lips.

“Hang on,” Stromer pointed to where EJ, Tyson and Sammy were all sat, “How come all the Avs are drinking.”

Sammy just offered up a shrug, “Avs are Avs no?”

\---

Josty smirked as he picked up his bottle, “Never have I ever, slept with an Otter.”

“Wait…” EJ interrupted, “Do you mean otter as in, like, the gay slang otter, or Otter as in used to play in Erie.”

“Hashtag Alex is both,” Dylan smirked.

“I meant like, the Erie kind of Otter.”

“Wait, another question…” Chucky grinned, “Again, do I have to drink for each otter I’ve ever slept with?”

“Dude!” Mitch’s head whipped around to stare at Matty, “Like, tell me you haven’t slept with more Otters than Knights.”

Chucky started counting on his fingers, “I mean, I’m only at 4 Otters, so I must have slept with more Knights than that.”

“ONLY FOUR?” Dylan laughed, “I am a fucking Otter and I haven’t slept with that many.”

“Wait,” Connor muttered, “Like, me, Dyls, Alex… who the fuck is the fourth?”

Chucky just shrugged, “I’m not going to tell.” He insisted.

  
  
  


\---

“Wait, Chucky,” Howdy frowned, “I just remembered you said that your Avs hookup isn’t here, and like, who even is it?”

Matty frowned at him, “I’m not outing anyone.”

“I’m pretty sure JT is our only straight teammate.” EJ frowned, “I don’t see how you would be outing anyone.”

“I can’t,” Matty said resolutely, “Like, they asked me not to.”

“How do you even KNOW all these queer people,” Dylan stares at him, “Because I swear the only queer people I know are in this room.”

Matty shrugged, “I mean, my Avs hookup is an old hookup from a different team, where I used to hook up with him and his hookup.”

“But like, how do you know?” Dylan insisted.

“I guess people just approach me first mostly,” Chucky admitted, “Like, it’s a pretty open secret around the league that I’ll fuck anyone and everyone, it’s a reputation that definitely works in my favour.”

Nate looks up, “It’s Burky,” he says suddenly, “You hook up with Burky, who is incidentally, the fourth otter you’ve fucked.”

“How the fuck did you work that out?” Chucky asked.

Nate shrugged, “He used to hook up with Wilson, back on the Caps, but I know it was just a hookup, because Willy is like, uber in love with Latts, so it made sense.”

“Wait,” Mitch turned to Chucky, “You’ve had sex with Tom Wilson?”

Chucky grinned at him, “Yep,” he said smugly, popping the p as he did it.

“I am so fucking jealous.”

\---

“Hang on,” EJ frowned, glancing around the room, “Where’s veggie and his boy?”

Tyson stifled back a chuckle, “You think they’ve snuck off for a quickie?”

“Cale?” EJ called out, catching not Cale’s attention, but Josty’s.

“Fuck,” Josty spun round, “Has Cale snuck off for a quickie with Hartsy? I told them not to.”

“Someone go find the baby,” EJ sprawled back into his chair.

“I’ll go,” Nate stood up, “I feel like I’m least likely to burst in on them if they are fucking.”

“They better fucking not be.” EJ glared at him, like he could stop it.

It took a few minutes of wondering the house before Nate found them, rounding the corner to the attic stairs to see Cale, sat on the stairs, phone out in front of him, Carter sat on the step behind him, legs either side of Cale’s body, arms over Cale’s shoulders, reading his phone alongside him.

“We thought you’d snuck off for a quickie.” Nate snorted.

Cale looked up at the sudden intrusion, blushing furiously, “Uh, no?”

Carter simply smirked at him over the top of Cale’s head, “Latest chapter of Kitten got updated, we figured a bit of privacy would make it easier to read.”

“Kitten?” Nate raised a curious eyebrow.

“Letang and Dumolin, but bdsm.” Hartsy grinned.

“I wish I hadn’t asked.” Nate shook his head with a fond smile, before pointing a finger at the flyer, “No defiling the rookie ok?”

“Josty has been very clear on all the defiling I’m not allowed to do in his house.” Carter laughed back. 

Nate was still shaking his head when he got back to the main room. “They’re reading fanfic together, like the fucking nerds that they are.” He told the guys.

\---

When they’d got to the end of the chapter, Carter buried his nose in Cale’s cheek. “Let’s not go back just yet ok eight?”

Cale leant back against him, “Like I’m going to argue.”

For a moment, they just sat there, until Carter started pressing kisses down the side of Cale’s neck.

“Fuck seventy-nine,” Cale groaned, “That’s so hot.”

Carter just slipped his arms tighter around Cale’s waist, “Can’t wait until we can actually be alone together.”

Cale could feel his heart beating faster as Carter’s hands slipped under the edge of his t-shirt, skating across the bare skin of his abs. “Seventy-nine,” he repeated in a moan.

“No,” Carter bit his earlobe softly, “Say my name properly.”

Cale whimpered, feeling himself get painfully hard, “I can’t,” he muttered, “It’s too much.”

“You can,” Carter replied, “You can say it for me baby, go on, say it eight.” He bent down and sucked hard at the point where Cale’s neck met his shoulder, working it into a hickey.

He heard Cale stutter a couple of times, clearly trying so hard to get the word out, but his nervousness making him stop each time.

“Come on baby,” Carter muttered, “Whisper my name for me, it’s only me here to hear you,” he licked at the spot he’d been worrying with his teeth, “Go on eight.” He reached up with a hand, threading his fingers through Cale’s hair and tugging his head to one side so he could better reach his neck.

As Carter sank his teeth in again, Cale’s breath hitched and he let out a desperate “Carter,” before thrusting his hips uselessly in the air.

Carter was so focused on making the most obvious hickey he could, he failed to see the damp patch spreading across the front of Cale’s pants until Cale reached up and shoved his head away with a desperate plea to stop. “Fuck eight,” Carter stared down at the mess Cale had made of his pants, “Did you just…”

“Please don’t chirp me,” Cale stammered, “Like, fuck, I just….”

“Baby,” Carter interrupted him, nuzzling his nose into Cale’s neck, “Why the fuck would I chirp you, that’s so fucking hot.”

“It is?” Cale twisted round to stare at him, cheeks flushing, “Because I just came in my pants like I’m still a fucking teenager, and I fail to see how that’s hot.”

"Trust me,” Carter grinned, “The idea that I turn you on that much, is really fucking hot eight.”

  
  


By the time they’d gotten Cale cleaned up and headed back down stairs, the hickey on his neck was a dark purple bruise.

“I thought you said they were just reading fanfic,” EJ looked from Cale to Nate and then back at Cale again, “And that fucking hickey tells me otehrwise.”

“I swear that wasn’t there when I went to check on them.” Nate’s eyes narrowed.

“Josty said no sex,” Carter grinned smugly, “And last I checked, hickeys didn’t count as sex.”

EJ huffed disapprovingly, “As long as there were no orgasms.”

Carter opened his mouth, fully prepared to lie, when Cale’s bright red face gave the game away.

“Veggie!” Brutes laughed, “Did you come from a hickey?”

Cale tried his best to glare at him, sitting down grumpily and pulling Carter down beside him.

“Dude that has got to be a fine,” Josty said to EJ, “Like, definitely a fine.”

“Who makes the fines on your team?” EJ asked Nolan and Travis.

“Haysie,” Travis grinned, “Like, it’s the worst and best plan ever.”

“Will he fine Hartsy for defiling my rookie if I ask him nicely?”

“I mean, probably?” Travis laughed, “Like, I don’t think we should fine Hartsy because Makar came in his pants though, that seems unethical.”

“Fines are unethical by nature,” EJ countered, “And I don’t like him defiling my baby rookie.”

“You realise Hartsy is also a baby rookie yeah?” Connor chimed in, “Like, he’s also only 22.”

“He’s like, a couple of months older than me.” Cale added.

“Seventy-eight days,” Carter corrected, and then when everyone turned to look at him, shrugged, “What? I counted.”

“Christ,” Nate swore, “It’s like there’s two of them, two tiny dorky nerds.”

“Honestly, I don’t care if you’re born on the same day,” EJ sighed, “No defiling.”

Cale just leant his head against Carter’s shoulder, “Ignore him,” he said, trying uselessly to fight the blush that was pinking his cheeks, “Defile me all you want, I can cope with the fines.”

\---

The doorbell rang, and the younger guys all looked at each other in confusion.

“Aren’t we all here,” Stromer frowned.

“It’s my other half,” Nate stood up, “I’ll get it.”

“I thought he wasn’t coming.” Josty grinned, “Like, I’m pleased he’s here.”

“His thing in town finished up and I told him to join us, pointed out that EJ and Fred aren’t that much younger than him.”

As Nate left the room, Hartsy stared down at his beer, “Who’s his other half?” He asked softly, his voice only audible to Cale.

Cale just smirked at him, “Put it this way,” he said cryptically, “There’s a reason I don’t ship Sid and Geno.”

Carter’s eyes just widened impossibly, “Fuck.” He said, looking up at the doorway as Sid followed Nate in.

“Hey,” Sid nodded briefly at the room, “Thanks for letting me crash your party Junior.”

“No problem,” Tyson waved a beer bottle at him, “Want a drink?”

“Eh, no thanks.” Sid winced a little, “Although, if you guys don’t mind me vaping I haven’t been able to smoke in hours.”

Tyson looked around the room to check that no-one seemed uncomfortable with the idea before nodding his assent.

“You’re so old,” Travis smirked, “Like, old hockey players smoke, you realise that.”

Nolan nodded in agreement, “Like, my dad and my uncle all smoke, but you realise nicotine is bad for your heart even if it’s not cigarettes.”

“Honestly,” Connor added, “I feel like this is the reason we’re better than the old guys,” he smirked up at Sid, “You’re all still playing the old hockey is a smoking man’s game.”

“First of all,” Sid pointed at him as he sat down, “Fuck you Davo,” he grinned to soften the chirp, “Second of all, this isn’t nicotine,” he took out his vape pen, “And thirdly, it’s definitely medicinal.” He frowned a moment before his eyes flickering to Nolan, “Honestly, I’m surprised you don’t.”

“What?”

Sid shrugged, “Like, it’s for my head problems, I know you also have head problems, I figured the trainers would have had you on CBD at least.”

Nolan’s eye’s widened, “Trainers said it wasn’t allowed.”

Sid snorts, taking the first inhale from his vape pen, “Like fuck, I wouldn’t have been on the ice since 2012 if the trainer’s hadn’t had me on this stuff. Obviously I don’t have stuff with THC in for games, but…” he shrugged, trailing off as he relaxed into the chair.

“This explains a lot,” Chucky grinned, “Like, a lot of people say how much you’ve mellowed in recent years, but if you’re just fucking high all the time.”

Sid rolled his eyes, “I’m not that high.” He muttered.

Nate just raised his eyebrows, before shaking his head fondly at Sid, “Sure you’re not.”

“I’m telling our trainers.” Nolan muttered sulkily, “If the Pens are allowed to do it, I don’t see why we aren’t.”

\---

“You realise they all know,” Nate muttered in Sid’s ear, “Like, they’re all chill with it, you don’t need to be all,” he gestured at Sid, “All, Sid.”

“That makes no sense,” Sid glared at him, “Of course I’m me.”

“Yeah but Siiiiiiid,” Nate drew out the vowel, virtually whining, “We could like,” he glanced over to where Dylan had his head leant against Alex’s shoulder, where Fred had an arm around Auston’s shoulders, Connor holding Leon’s hand, “Sid just…”

Sid shrugged apologetically, “Hard habit to break.” He admitted in a mutter. He half reached out for Nate’s hand, and then stopped himself. “I don’t know Nate.”

“Let me,” Nate said quietly, “Like, you don’t need to do anything just don’t stop me?”

Sid glanced sideways at him, and then gave the smallest of shrugs.

Nate took it as acquiescence, and twisted slightly in his seat, before leaning his head against Sid’s shoulder, looking up at him through his lashes.

“Don’t do that.” Sid rolled his eyes, “Look at me like that I mean.”

“Why not?”

“Reminds me too much of when you were a kid.” Sid grinned, “You used to look at me like that all the time.”

“Adoringly.” Nate gave him his most shit eating grin, “Nothing’s changed Lil Croz, I still adore you.”

“You’re sickening.” EJ muttered from his other side, poking a finger expertly between Nate’s ribs, “And I sort of love it.”

\---

“I have a question,” Travis smirked over at Nate, “But it is fanfic related.”

“It’s fine,” Nate sighed, “It’s not like we don’t all know it exists.”

Travis grinned, “So like, fanfic world is pretty convinced that you’re big on tossing the salad...” he started.

Nate groaned burying his face in his hands, trying to hide the blush, “I’m never living that down,” he muttered.

“Is it true?” Travis laughed.

EJ nodded on Nate’s behalf, “It’s very true.”

“Right,” Travis continued, “I have a bonus question though, because obviously you are dating Crosby, which, like ew, you have terrible taste or whatever, but seriously…” he glanced over at Sid, “I mean… there’s a lot of junk in his trunk… and like, just…” he stared in amazement at Nate, “Like even how?”

“He has a head torch,” Nolan muttered beside him, “It’s like fucking caving.”

Sid’s stupid honking laugh filled the room as he spluttered around his vape pen, “I like the tiny flyers,” he admitted, “They’re funny.”

\---

“Wait, wait,” Konecny waved his mostly empty bottle around, “We aren’t playing the game anymore.” He giggled, before stating, “Never have I ever jerked off to thoughts of Crosby.”

“Noooo,” Nate yelled before anyone could drink, “I don’t even want to know.”

“How old were you when you first jerked off to thoughts of Sid?” EJ elbowed him.

“Don’t answer that.” Sid said quickly, “Because I do not want to know.”

“I’m disappointed you’re not drinking.” Travis laughs at Nolan, “I know you jerk off to hockey vids.”

“Yeah, but Toews all the way.” Nolan blushed bright red, “I’m loyal to Winnipeg ok?”

“Like, I feel a certain generation of hockey player all jerked off to Sid,” EJ said smugly, safe in the knowledge that he wasn’t one of them.

“Who do we think the current Sid is, like the current gay awakening player, cause it sure as fuck isn’t Davo.” Stromer snorted.

“It’s Pats,” Teeks laughs, nudging his boyfriend, “This man rocket is definitely a gay awakening.”

“It’s you.” Cale whispered in Carter’s ear, “It’s definitely you.”

“It’s your fucking slapshot.” Carter muttered back.

[it’s time for bed. There are four bedrooms, they are given to the oldest people, so we have sid/nate in a room, EJ and Tyson in a room (Sammy has snuck in with them because he’s a cheeky lil boy), Freddie/Aus and Leon/Connor - everyone else is on sleeping mats.]

“Come on,” Carter said softly, tugging on the sleeping mat that Cale had laid out, “You can put it next to mine.”

Cale blushed, “It is next to yours,” he muttered, glancing nervously over his shoulder at Tyson, “Like, they’ll notice if it’s any closer.”

“Maaaaaaarns,” Chucky called from where he was already lying in bed, arms tucked behind his head, “Are you coming for cuddles or are you cuddling your hawks boys.”

“I’ll come cuddle you,” Mitch grinned, dragging his sleeping stuff over to next to Matty.

“I can’t believe you let Connor have a bed,” Dylan whined at Tyson.

“Technically,” Tyson rolled his eyes in response, “I let Leon have a bed, because I did it based on age.”  
“I can’t believe Sammy’s snuck off to bed with EJ AND Brutes.” Comphy muttered.

“Do we think they’re actually having a threesome though?” Josty asked doubtfully.

“They have before.” Cale piped up from the other side of the room, “And like, EJ and Tyson used to have a road thingie, and EJ and Sammy have a road thingie so…”

“Fuck man,” Howdy sighed wistfully, “Your fucking team.”

“Wait,” Josty propped himself up on one elbow to look over at Brett, “Does nobody on the Rangers even have like, road buddies stuff?”

“I don’t think so?” Brett answered hesitantly, “Like, maybe Mika and Krieds, maybe… but if they do, they’re really fucking subtle about it.”

“I always assumed you were all sucking Lundqvist’s cock.” Chucky laughed, “Like, if I was on a team with that fucking stud, you know I would be.”

“Anyone would.” Cale piped up, and then squealed as Carter elbowed him in the ribs. “I’m just saying!” He glared at his boyfriend, the colour rising to his cheeks, “Like, obviously I wouldn’t, or anything…” he paused, blushing even more heavily before adding, “Obviously you’re my favourite goalie.”

“I’d better be.” Carter grinned back at him.

“I can’t believe we actually have a couple that are more sickening than Stromer and Brinks.” Marns rolled his eyes, snuggling into Chucky’s arms. “They disgust me.”

“Disgusting,” Matty agreed, slipping both arms around Mitch’s waist, “Wanna make out?”

“No sex while we’re all in the room.” Josty reminded them, “And that goes for literally everyone.”

“Really?” Travis sat up, “Because honestly, Nols is going to wake up super early, and like, I can suck his dick without waking any of you fuckers up.”

“Shut up Trav,” Nolan mumbled sleepily, “You could have done it without them knowing, now they know you want to, they're more likely to notice.”

“If I notice anyone having sex,” Josty glared at him, “I will yell at you all.”

“Honestly,” Mitch pulled away slightly from Chucky, “That just sounds like a go ahead to have sex as long as it’s not noticable.”

“I hate you all.” Josty rolled his eyes.

“I mean…” Carter sat up slightly, “If you and Howdy hooked up, then we could all have sex, and just leave JT feeling really uncomfortable and straight.”

“I’d go and sleep in the garden.” JT muttered.

“Lies.” Josty grinned, nudging him, “You sleep like the dead, I doubt you’d even fucking notice.”

They all started giggling at that.

As soon as the lights had gone out, Carter reached out and tugged on the edge of Cale’s sleeping mat, dragging him closer.

“Seventy-nine,” Cale hissed quietly, “Nooooo.”

“Shhh,” Carter grinned at him, “It’s ok, I just want to see you better.”

Cale blushed, unable to stop the grin from spreading across his face.

“Come here,” Carter muttered, wriggling out of his sleeping bag to wrap an arm around Cale’s waist.

“You’re not even wearing a shirt.”

“And?” Carter smirked at him, “Come and have cuddles.”

Cale paused, for just half a second, before giving in and letting Carter pull him flush against his chest.

“Fuck,” Carter whispered softly, “This is the best day ever.”

“Technically,” Cale muttered, “That was yesterday.”

“No.” Cale reached down, cupping Cale’s cheek, “Because today is the first day that I get to spend the whole day with you.”

Cale couldn’t stop the squeak that escaped past his lips.

“Fuck, eight,” Carter grinned, “You are literally the cutest person I’ve ever met,” he bent his head to press his lips against Cale’s.

“Are they allowed to make out?” Nolan asked softly, his voice rumbling in his chest where Travis had his head pressed to it, “I’m sure Josty said stuff about not defiling Cale.”

“We are not telling on them.” Travis stared up at him, “Like, Hartsy’s getting some dude, he’s our goalie, we aren’t getting in the way of that.”

“Fair,” Nolan looked down at him, before smirking at him, “Wanna make out too?”

Travis shrugged, before shooting him a cheeky grin and crawling up his chest to press their lips together, slipping his tongue between Nolan’s lips.

“Everyone’s making out,” Dylan muttered quietly, from where his head was resting on Alex’s shoulder, “We should be making out.”

Nothing came in response, and when Dylan raised his head to look at his boyfriend, Alex was already fast asleep.

“Fuck,” Dylan swore, “We are so the old married couple here.”

“Are you mad?” Connor asked as he pulled his shirt over his head, before climbing into bed beside Leon, “About the whole Matty thing.”

“Not at you.” Leon sighed, rolling onto his side to face Connor. “He could be more mature about it.”

“Matty could be more mature about everything.” Connor pointed out, “He’s just like that.”

“You all indulge him too much.” Leon sighed, reaching over to flick out the light.

“We have our reasons.” Connor leant forward, curling into the warmth of Leon’s body, “And mostly I think he did that tonight to get everything out in the open. He knows that Dylan’s been taking it hard finding out about me and Ryan.”

Leon raised an incredulous eyebrow at him in the dark. “You want me to believe that Tkachuk let everyone know your secrets for your own good.”

“Look,” Connor sighed, “He’s an ass, but he’s not a bad person.” He caught the look on Leon’s face, “Are you jealous?”

“That he had you before I did?” Leon shrugged, “Of course. I’m jealous of anyone who got to have you when you should have been mine.”

“Yours now,” Connor muttered, pressing a soft kiss to Leon’s lips, “Yours forever now.”

Leon just tugged him in close, muttering possessive endearments in german.

  
  


“Was it so awful?” Nate nudged Sid with a cold foot as they slid into the double bed together.

“It was fine.” Sid told him, “I hate a little that they’re braver than me.”

Nate frowned, “What do you mean?”

Sid just offered up a shrug, “The way they’re so easy with each other, I know it’s a ‘safe space’ and all, but they’re so casually affectionate, and they talk about coming out like it’s nothing.”

“I don’t think they think it’s nothing.” Nate corrected.

“You know what I mean though, they talk about it as if it’s something then, something that could actually happen.”

“It could.” Nate kissed him, “And it will, they seem pretty determined.”

“Am I awful if I still don’t want to?” Sid asked quietly, more nervous than Nate is used to seeing him.

“Nope.” Nate grinned, grabbing Sid’s hand and lacing their finger’s together, “If they all come out, and the NHL decides that gay hockey players are the best thing in the world and you still want me to tell everyone I live next door to you, I fucking will Sid.”

“I love you.” Sid said, and then, tugging his hand away so he could place both hands on Nate’s waist, pulled him closer, “I really fucking love you Nate.”

“I know.” Nate grinned smugly, “And that’s plenty for me.”

  
  
  


“Nice party?” Freddie asked sleepily, as Auston rolled into him.

Auston just hummed happily, “I like seeing the boys.” He admitted, “I like knowing that we’re not the only ones like this.”

“I don’t know if I should ask about Mitch…” Freddie muttered.

“With Matty? They just fuck sometimes.”

“And with JT?”

Auston frowned momentarily, and then realises, “Tavares not Compher yeah?”

Freddie laughed softly, “Yeah, Tavares.”

“Honestly,” Auston rolls his eyes, “Let’s just not even go there.”

“What’s the best fic you’ve ever read.” Cale asked, quietly, since everyone around them was sleeping.

“RPF, or just any fic?”

Cale looked at him askance, “You read not hockey stuff?”

“I’m just thinking of a thing which is still hockey, but it’s not real hockey players.”

Cale frowned, “Is it good?”

“Best ever.” Carter whipped out his phone, “I’ll send you a link now, wanna read together for a bit?”

“Nope.” Cale grinned at him, “I want more kisses.”

Carter hummed softly, “Getting demanding now I see,” and then, at Cale’s expression, he added, “I like that.”

They stayed up, alternating between kissing and talking until the sun started to rise through the windows.

  
  


Nolan woke early, as per usual, he could stay up late occasionally without fucking up his sleep schedule too much, but he could’t sleep in. When he woke however, he could hear soft talking from nearby.

“Fuck,” he looked over at Carter and Cale, “Did you two even sleep?”

“Um?” Cale glanced over his shoulder, blushing furiously, “No?”

Nolan huffed in amusement, “Did you fuck him?” he asked Carted with a smirk,

“Dude.” Carter rolled his eyes, “No, like, I’m gonna make that shit special.”

“You’re gross,” Nolan snorted, “Like, sickening, just blow him already.”

“Blow your own boyfriend.” Carter snarked back.

Nolan stared at him for a moment, before shrugging, “Good plan.”

“Don’t!” Cale squeaked in alarm, “Like, this is a room full of people, and I’m not sure that they’re all ok with it…”

Nolan rolled his eyes, before poking Travis in the cheek, “Wake up TK, I wanna suck you off and apparently we have to go somewhere else for that shit.”

“Lame.” Travis muttered sleepily, “Like, just blow me here babes.”

“Stop traumatising my boyfriend.” Carter glared at the pair of them, “Go hook up in a bathroom or something.”

Cale stared at him, blushing furiously, “Not traumatised,” he muttered, “Just, y’know, worried that it might upset Comphy”

Carter grinned back, stealing a kiss, pressing Cale firmly into the bedroll, “Fuck eight,” he muttered against his skin, “You have no idea how badly I want you right now.”

“You could,” Cale blushed as he made his admission, “You could have me if you wanted.”

Carter groaned, desperate against his skin, “Josty would fucking kill me.”

“Forget Josty,” came a voice from the doorway, and they both looked up to see EJ staring down at them, “I’d kill you.” He grinned, wide and toothless, “Up and at ‘em kids, lets make breakfast.”

“No can do,” Travis smirked him, “Patso and I are gonna go find a lockable room and get to sucking cock.”

“Just gotta get mouths on dicks.” Nolan intoned dryly.

By the time Carter and Cale had helped EJ make breakfast, a bunch of the others had woken up, as well as Nolan and TK who hand slunk back from wherever they’d manage to escape to.

“This is nice.” Cale said, low enough for only Carter to hear, as he slipped his hand under the table to take Carter’s hand in his.

“What’s the plan for after this?” EJ asked Josty.

Josty gave a shrug, “Whatever the fuck we want, maybe a spikeball tourny, or we can hit up the lake, maybe do a bonfire later.”

“You wanna?” Carter asked Cale, voice equally low.

Cale blushed, “You suggesting we sneak off somewhere quiet and read together?”

Carter grinned, leaning closer to whisper against Cale’s ear, “That, or y’know, my place is just over an hour away.”

Cales eyes widened, “You mean…”

“We could just leave.” Carter muttered, “Nothing keeping us here.”

Cale could feel his heart hammering in his chest, he squeezed Carter’s hand under the table, “Let’s do it.”

After they clear away from breakfast, most of the guys head out to the spacious yard.

“You coming baby?” EJ asked, turning to where Cale and Carter were still stood by the now empty table.

“Uh, Seventy-nine and I are gonna head back to his place.”

EJ frowned for a moment, “Use a fucking condom.” He said with a scowl, before stalking out to the yard.

“Fuck,” Cale swore, “That’s the closest to a blessing I think you’ll get from Pops.”

They grabbed their things as quickly as they could, and headed out to Cale’s car.

“You didn’t drive?” Cale asked Carter.

“Nah,” Carter shrugged, “Patty and Teeks picked me up on the way through.”

They were almost safely into the car when the others had clearly noticed, piling out the front of the house and whistling and jeering.

“Just drive,” Carter laughed, leaning out the window to blow obnoxious kisses at their friends.

It wasn’t until they were round the corner, the others out of sight that Cale felt confident to reach out and take Carter’s hand. “Just you and me now seventy-nine,” he flashed him a grin.

“For now.” Carter grinned back.

“What do you mean?” Cale asked.

Carter just shrugged and squeezed his hand, “Well babes,” he leant over and pressed a sweet kiss to Cale’s cheek, “You’re one of the boys now.”

Back at Josty’s cabin, there was a simultaneous buzzing of mobile phones, and they were all pulled out to read the exact same message:

**Hartsy has added Cale to the chat.**

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> IS THIS THE END?  
> LOL NO.  
> I LITERALLY ALREADY HAVE IDEAS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING NEXT :D


End file.
